Peru says U.S. is not planning to detain wanted ex-president

Reuters Staff

3 Min Read

An international arrest warrant issued by Peru's Interior Ministry, offering 100,000 Peruvian soles ($31,000) for information on the whereabouts of former president Alejandro Toledo, is seen in Lima, Peru. Picture provided to Reuters on February 10, 2017. Peruvian Police/Handout via Reuters

LIMA/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Peru has been informed by U.S. authorities that they are not planning to keep former Peru President Alejandro Toledo, who is wanted in connection with a corruption probe, from boarding a flight to Israel from California in the coming hours, a source in Peru’s Interior Ministry said on Saturday.

The U.S. Justice and State Departments did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment, said it was unclear why the United States did not want to detain Toledo. The government of Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski was pressuring for the United States to change its mind, the source said.

The dispute threatens to strain relations between the United States and one of its traditional allies in South America.

Toledo is booked on an 8 p.m. (0400 GMT) flight from San Francisco to Tel Aviv, the source said.

Peru has an extradition treaty with the United States but does not have one with Israel.

A judge in Peru issued an international arrest warrant for Toledo Thursday, and the government offered a 100,000 soles ($30,000) reward for any information leading to his capture after he failed to turn himself in to authorities.

Alejandro Toledo speaks during a meeting with a workers' union linked to the political party APRA in Lima April 7, 2011. REUTERS/Enrique Castro-Mendivil

Peru has said Interpol issued a red alert to 190 member countries to help find him, but Toledo does not appear on its list of wanted persons. Interpol has not responded to requests for comment on Toledo.

Prosecutors in Peru allege Toledo took $20 million in bribes from Brazilian construction conglomerate Odebrecht [ODBES.UL] and a judge ruled that he must be jailed for up to 18 months while charges against him are prepared.

Toledo, who has earned economics degrees from Stanford University, has denied wrongdoing and has not been charged or convicted of any crimes.

Toledo’s lawyer said he did not know Toledo’s whereabouts and declined further comment.

Toledo’s wife has Israeli citizenship and Toledo has a long friendship with Israeli businessman Yosef Maiman, who prosecutors accuse of acting as a middleman for at least $10 million in alleged bribes.

A former Odebrecht executive has said he personally negotiated the bribes with Toledo in Rio de Janeiro in 2004, prosecutors say.

Maiman has not responded to requests for comment.

Kuczynski served as finance minister and then prime minister in Toledo’s 2001-2006 government, when Peru awarded lucrative highway contracts to Odebrecht.

Reporting by Mitra Taj in Lima and Reuters TV in San Francisco; Editing by Leslie Adler and Matthew Lewis